N911ME From United States of America, joined Jan 2006, 117 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (6 years 10 months 19 hours ago) and read 3264 times:
Quoting DeltaGuy (Reply 4): The Air Force's contender for the A-10 project didn't make it past prototype as well....think it was the A-16? Can't remember.
Probably a World War II aircraft or one of the early Navy jets. Most Air Force early jets had at least some foreign service which extends them past the Navy's short-lived machines.
F7U Cutlass... 1954-1959
F3H Demon... 1956-1964
F4D Skyray... 1956-1964
F11F Tiger... 1956-1961 (1969 with Blue Angels)
I wasn't really thinking much of the WW2 jets, since jet fighters were so much in their infancy then, but there were some really short-lived airplanes from that era.
How about Russia? Wasn't there a Yak contemporary of the MiG-15 that wasn't too popular?
Saabmeister From United States of America, joined Jul 2006, 14 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (6 years 10 months 7 hours ago) and read 3153 times:
I don't think the P-59 was around for very long. The F-82 only lasted for 8 years. Fisher P-75 Eagle (only six built, one was for parts)? Vultee P-66? North American P-64? Douglas FH-1 Phantom? But my guess is the Douglas P-70 (1943-1945).
Thorny From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 10, posted (6 years 10 months 4 hours ago) and read 3125 times:
Quoting Saabmeister (Reply 9): I don't think the P-59 was around for very long. The F-82 only lasted for 8 years. Fisher P-75 Eagle (only six built, one was for parts)? Vultee P-66? North American P-64? Douglas FH-1 Phantom? But my guess is the Douglas P-70 (1943-1945).
I think the question was about operational careers, though. If we count P-59, P-75, P-66 etc., we'd also have to count every other aircraft that had prototypes built. Instead, the question should be which aircraft actually was fielded with operational units, versus test flight squadrons.
I almost included the (McDonnell) FH-1 Phantom on my earlier list, but that aircraft actually hung around quite a while in Reserve units (probably due to the Korean War snatching away everything that was combat-capable.)
Saabmeister From United States of America, joined Jul 2006, 14 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (6 years 9 months 4 weeks 1 day 21 hours ago) and read 3052 times:
Quoting Thorny (Reply 10): I think the question was about operational careers, though. If we count P-59, P-75, P-66 etc., we'd also have to count every other aircraft that had prototypes built. Instead, the question should be which aircraft actually was fielded with operational units, versus test flight squadrons.
I know it's a stretch, but technichally, all three of those were in "production". I think the P-66 saw active service with China, the P-64's were trainers for a while. And didn't the P-59 have a fair number produced, and stayed around for a while?
Quoting Thorny (Reply 10): I almost included the (McDonnell) FH-1 Phantom on my earlier list, but that aircraft actually hung around quite a while in Reserve units (probably due to the Korean War snatching away everything that was combat-capable.)
Really! I always thought the FH-1 got phased out pretty quick. Do you know just how long they hung around?
Ptrjong From Netherlands, joined Mar 2005, 3767 posts, RR: 20 Reply 12, posted (6 years 9 months 4 weeks 1 day 21 hours ago) and read 3043 times:
I'm hereby withdrawing the He-162 Salamander as it didn't really see operational service I think.
If we limit this to jet fighters that actually served with front-line units, it is quite an interesting question.
If rocket propulsion is acceptable, my new entry is again from Germany: the Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet (in service mid-1944 till May 1945 or even earlier?), in other words, for one year.
Areopagus From United States of America, joined Sep 2001, 1356 posts, RR: 1 Reply 13, posted (6 years 9 months 4 weeks 1 day 13 hours ago) and read 2969 times:
The Supermarine Swift served as an operational fighter from February 1954 until March 1955. It served longer as a reconnaissance plane, however.
Flynlr From United States of America, joined Jun 2005, 218 posts, RR: 1 Reply 14, posted (6 years 9 months 4 weeks 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 2925 times:
well I know of one fighter that got built then canned http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/annex/an51.htm
I did alot of sheet metal work on this puppy in the early 90's
my reserve unit helped in its restoration.
The Right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed
Sponsor Message: 
From Canada, joined Oct 2004, 713 posts, 
From Netherlands, joined Mar 2005, 3767 posts, 
From Philippines, joined Jan 2006, 4427 posts, 
From , joined Dec 1969, posts, 
Sponsor Message: 
Printer friendly format
